On behalf of colleagues in the #Heartlands Transformation Network (HTN) subscribe (for free) to our new Substack platform sharing practical insights around heartlands economic transformation across democracies! Go here to check it out! heartlandstransformationnetwork.substack.com

With so much feeling in the air of things being "torn down", it is inspiring to see communities across democracies, even those facing great economic and social challenges, build up! Read how communitiesbuild on arts, culture & heritage for renewal! online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/b...

It is more than possible for advanced democracies like Canada, UK, Germany, France, & others across Europe & Asia to get way better at building their own high-tech economies --to end dependence on now unreliable US tech and its oligarchs. Read how: www.ips-journal.eu/work-and-dig...

Once vibrant industrial communities across democracies are challenged in making an economic transition Jobs & identity disappear leading to pain, sadness, & anger. All changes when communities build on unique industrial heritage and culture. Read how: online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/b...

Many paths found by communities to overcome massive losses of traditional industry, to new economic prosperity & optimism among residents. No path is more potent than building on the communities unique history, culture and identity. See my new work: online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/b...

See new #Heartlands Transformation Network report: leaders of community revitalization share experience building on arts, culture, history, & identity, to bring new hope, pride, optimism & economic activity to communities. @gettysburg2024.bsky.social online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/b...

Tragically US under the current Administration is walking away from global responsibilities-- like countering #Putin. Europe must lead in defending itself & Ukraine. Must build its own home-grown tech economy! Read how with @andywestwood.bsky.social www.ips-journal.eu/work-and-dig...

A blog on innovation, universities and the regions that really, really need them. Written with my very good colleague @jcaustin.bsky.social and published by IPS (International Politics & Society) in Berlin. www.ips-journal.eu/work-and-dig...

US has a robust University-linked innovation ecosystem-- kicks off game-changing technologies & helps us dominate high-tech. It is time for Canada, UK, and Europe to get good at the same thing. Here's how via @ipgbook.bsky.social . With @andywestwood.bsky.social www.ips-journal.eu/work-and-dig...

University-linked innovation ecosystems kicking out fast-growth, high-tech businesses can be purposefully built. Urgent priority for UK & Europe to grow economies, and end reliance on US big tech! Read how to do it in my new article with @andywestwood.bsky.social www.ipg-journal.de/rubriken/arb...

"It is imperative for democracies to build robust, innovation-driven economies & domestic high-tech industries, especially in those regions undergoing structural change that cannot achieve this on their own. " @andywestwood.bsky.social & I detail how to do this: www.ipg-journal.de/rubriken/arb...

Democracies face 2 challenges:creating high-growth, high-tech economy & decrease reliance on US big tech; 2) close geographic economic divides that leave too many behind. Read how we do both, strengthen democracy! With @andywestwood.bsky.social via @internationalpoli.bsky.social lnkd.in/gcRcjnkZ

Far and away the most constructive approach to grow jobs at home and among developing nations is not to retreat from the world, but help build a new "Global Opportunity Order", as I argued recently in @barrons.com Magazine. The US should lead (again!). www.barrons.com/articles/chi...

Read my latest in @barrons.com to see how rights and rules respecting countries can work together to maintain an international economic and political order that delivers freedom and opportunity for all! @gettysburg2024.bsky.social @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.barrons.com/articles/chi...

AIA Fellow @jcaustin.bsky.social urges Germany to lead in defending democracy. His new paper (with Emily Adams & Maria Skora) links populism in the US & Europe to economic neglect and calls for inclusive growth. 🔗 Interview: www.aia-nrw.org/en/germany-m... 🔗 Paper: www.aia-nrw.org/en/publicati...

Hungary's Viktor Orban has backers out protesting support for Ukraine. Trying to distract from the fact that he has wrecked Hungary's economy & destroyed health care, education & other basic services. Read my @politico.eu piece on why he should be tossed from office. www.politico.eu/article/us-a...

The new "Opportunity Order" I propose here via @barrons.com can bring much more economic goods and growth to developing nations around the world then China's corrupting & dependency building "development". Read why this is urgent project for freedom-loving countries! www.barrons.com/articles/chi...

To strengthening democracy across the globe we need to understand and act on lessons from recent German & US elections. In both, ethnonationalist movements were driven by those feeling economically insecure, ignored & voiceless in politics. @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.aia-nrw.org/en/publicati...

China's Xi Jinping is asserting it heads a "New World Order". But nations China has in its 'bloc' boasts collective economy dwarfed by leading democracies even without the US. Plus its a club of world’s most noxious, dictatorial regimes. Read in @barrons.com www.barrons.com/articles/chi...

As countries weaponize supply chains it's more important than ever that nations seeking to sustain and even strengthen an open, free, rights and rules respecting international order--what I am calling a Global Opportunity Order-- band together. Read via @barrons.com www.barrons.com/articles/chi...

Our convening of leaders across democracies, all focused on place-based economic development policy was a rare chance to share notes on making this work effective across national political & geographic boundaries. Catch it from @gettysburg2024.bsky.social online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/c...

"There is a better path for the world’s democracies than cozying up to China, Russia, and the authoritarian bloc or blithely accepting America’s illiberalism. In comes the Global Opportunity Order." Read my latest in @barrons.com www.barrons.com/articles/chi...

Democracies across the globe have been working to close yawning economic inequities to cool support for anti-system populist movements. Read where this important movement is now & where it needs to go. Just out from @gettysburg2024.bsky.social online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/c...

As countries weaponize supply chains & economic dependencies, more important than ever for nations seeking to sustain & even strengthen an open, free, rights & rules respecting international order, build a new @Global Opportunity Order. Read in my piece @barrons.com www.barrons.com/articles/chi...

As I write via @barrons.com @wsj.com there is an alternative to the world China and other mercantilist nations are trying to build. It's called the new needed Global Opportunity Order, Read why so needed and important www.livemint.com/global/the-g...

As trade wars freshly escalate, it is both urgently needed and possible to build a new Global Opportunity Order via which freedom, rules and rights respecting nations can grow and thrive together. Read my new article via @barrons.com www.barrons.com/articles/chi...

Our new @gettysburg2024.bsky.social details the state of play around place-based policy across democracies, with fresh ideas and analysis from key countries and constituencies., including US, Canada, UK, Poland, Germany and beyond. Catch it here: online.visual-paradigm.com/share/book/c...

To diminish the appeal of anti-system, ethnonationalists movements, both US and Germany need leadership that listens and truly understands the frustrations of #heartland voters and meaningfully works to make their lives better. Read via @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.aia-nrw.org/en/publicati...

Lots of giant #NoKings protests in US this weekend President Trump is working to wreck US & basic services, like his anti-democratic friend @viktororban.bsky.social, with likely same result, public seeks to throw those responsible out. Read @politico.eu www.politico.eu/article/us-a...

Long neglected economic inequities & a feeling among many voters of a loss of agency and control of their lives-- explains the growing support of ethnonationalist movements in both Germany & the US. Read our new analysis out from @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.aia-nrw.org/de/publikati...

Germany needs to step up and lead the family of nations committed to openness, freedom & opportunity in strengthening collective economic & political hand vis-a-vis authoritarians. Read my interview in Bonn, Germany's General-Anzeiger, from @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.aia-nrw.org/en/germany-m...

AIA Fellow @jcaustin.bsky.social brought together leaders from the US, Canada, UK & Europe to explore university-linked innovation ecosystems. Beyond Silicon Valley: regional hubs thrive through cross-border collaboration. Thanks to all participants! 🔗https://www.aia-nrw.org/BigTechChains

Catch our important new work detailing how both the US & Germany have seen their politics upended, and what both countries' leaders must do to right the ship. My new paper just out from @aia-nrw.bsky.social & @dgap.org @dpzberlin.bsky.social colleagues. www.aia-nrw.org/de/publikati...

Germany & US were pillars of democracy for many years. Last years elections in show how untreated economic inequities & anxieties can upend the politics of even these anchors of the international alliance system. My latest paper via @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.aia-nrw.org/de/publikati...

Viktor Orban's playbook for dismantling democracy & kleptocracy it enables is a fast path to poverty and an economic dead-end. I saw it first hand in Hungary. Read via @politico.eu what is really going on in Hungary. @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/us-a...

If there are free elections next year in Hungary, Viktor Orban is cooked. Polling shows public blames him for deteriorating health care (67 percent), education (63 percent) and the bad economy (57 percent). Read in @politico.eu from my work @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/us-a...

In the US & Europe we only hear how "successful" Orban's democracy-ending playbook is. Not enough about how it inevitably leads to decay of living standards and public disaffection. Thanks @bironagyandras.bsky.social & policy solutions for finding the facts!

We keep hearing President Trump & other authoritarians are following Hungary's Viktor Orban's successful playbook for dismantling democracy. It also works to destroy people's living standards & public throws you out of office. Happening now in Hungary. US next? www.politico.eu/article/us-a...

European media and democracy watchdogs everywhere need to keep a close eye on Hungary's Viktor Orban. Hungarians are eager to turn him out of office. The only way he stays in power is if he cheats (again). Trump is in the same boat. Read my piece in @politico.eu lnkd.in/g5keNZyn

Viktor Orban's playbook for dismantling democracy has now seen Hungarian public turn against him. It's wrecked the economy & dismantled basic services like health care and education. Read my piece in @politico.eu. Trump is next! www.politico.eu/article/us-a...

For years we have been helping leaders in the Great Lakes region, capitalize on our amazing water assets & build out our #Blueeconomy. So nice to see new building blocks like the Great Lakes Waterfront Train becoming a reality! postindustrial.com/stories/us-c...

Economic analysis that shows that greenways, biking, hiking, and water trails raise property values nearby & drive billions in new economic & community development along the route. That's why this US-Canada Great Lakes Trail is such a big deal! postindustrial.com/stories/us-c...

Both the US & Europe would be well served to keep supporting the programs that provide flexible resources for local leadership to craft community development strategies based on particular local assets and priorities. Read my latest via @oecd-ocde.bsky.social oecdcogito.blog/2025/09/16/r...

Little noticed but a huge economic development driver for the bi-national Great Lakes is the nearing completion of an intertwined Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. Just out in @postindustrial.bsky.social postindustrial.com/stories/us-c...

In rural communities across countries disconnection & exclusion run deep, symbolic of what it means to be “left behind”. But across America & Europe local leaders are successfully working to regenerate hollowed out communities. Read my latest @oecd-ocde.bsky.social oecdcogito.blog/2025/09/16/r...

Economic change has seen rural & small town regions across all our countries emptied out But no place is too "small" to find new growth and opportunity. Inspiring examples in my new work from @oecd-ocde.bsky.social @aia-nrw.bsky.social @gettysburg2024.bsky.social

With an idealogically driven "greenlash" driving many national leaders away from the needed clean energy transformation, it is up to state & local leaders to carry the ball and banner forward. Read how in my new report from @dpzberlin.bsky.social www.industrial-heartlands.com/sheboygan-to...

Leaders in extractive industry regions like my own West Virginia & Ohio, the Rhenish region & Cotbus area in Germany, face a similar choice. Promise their people to bring back the past, or lead them into a brighter, economic future. Just out @dpzberlin.bsky.social & @gettysburg2024.bsky.social

State & local leaders across democracies are stepping up to solve the real problems of today--like climate change & citizen disaffection. Find out how they do it in new work out from @dpzberlin.bsky.social, @gettysburg2024.bsky.social & @AIA-NRW www.industrial-heartlands.com/sheboygan-to...

When I brought leaders from industrial belt of the US to similar regions in Germany, we found local leaders facing similar choices! Which way should communities turn? Read via @dpzberlin.bsky.social @gettysburg2024.bsky.social @aia-nrw.bsky.social www.industrial-heartlands.com/sheboygan-to...